Life Sciences: Beagles

Baroness Hoey Excerpts

Monday 9th February 2026 Lords Chamber

[Lord Hanson of Flint (Lab)]

I am grateful to the noble Lord for that astute observation. The principle behind the Government’s commitment in this area is straightforward: where animals have to be used, they will be used, but we seek to find alternatives. We are seeking to phase out the use of animals as a whole, and we continue to put not just money but a government strategy behind that. It is a manifesto commitment to phase out the use of animals at the earliest opportunity, and we are working towards that. I refer the noble Lord to the document we produced just prior to Christmas.

[Baroness Hoey (Non-Afl)]

My Lords, the Minister has talked about animal welfare and how proud he is of having voted to ban fox hunting. Would he be equally proud to be able to say that, as a country, we had banned the way animals are slaughtered for halal meat and other religious reasons?

[Lord Hanson of Flint (Lab)]

We are going very wide of the Question today. Those are matters that the Government continue to keep under review. It is not within the Home Office’s gift to discuss the point the noble Baroness has brought forward. On the issue before the House in the original Question, we are going to phase it out, and we have an opportunity through our strategy to show the direction of travel.